do i have an electrical problem?

[stefan]

ok last week i was working on my power windows. i think i killed my battery playing with the motors too much. the next day it was flat. i jump stated it and when on a few short trips. it was starting fine. now today, after it sat for a few days the battery was flat again. do you think it just needs a good charge, or do you think i have a bigger problem?


also strange other problem, my tach back light wouldn't work today?!

[easywind]

You need to charge your battery to full before you can make that determination

[festivaWES]

I would say you have a drain on your battery or you have a dead cell in your battery, because obviously you jumped started it and drove it around...so the alternator is good.

[fishgoddess]

It could also be the battery cables. Check to make sure they are in good shape at both ends.

[WmWatt]

Maybe you left something in the power windows curcuit grounded which is draining the battery when the engine is not running?

[packrat427]

It has to be a Walmart battery :lol:

[stefan]

brand new interstate battery.

last week when i drove it abit it would restart after i had driven it for awhile.

[FB71]

The alt will not recharge a dead battery. It will only recover the surface charge after starting. Charge the battery first, then re-evaluate.

[stefan]

ok. its on the charger right now.

[stefan]

gurrr. anyone know any good ways to find drains on the battery?
i charged it last night, it was up to 12.5 volts when i turned it off (yea, my charger is sketchy) then this morning it was down to 12.19v. but it still started. i drove it to work, never checked the voltage, but it started 9 hours later and it got me home. when i got home i checkd, when its running the voltage is 14.75v and when i shut it off it was 12.75 (good?) ill see what its sitting at tomorrow morning

its not my power window wiring. i wired them up several months ago when i tried to install the regs out of a 626 but they ended up not working. then i got these and just plugged them into my old wiring.

[packrat427]

That all sounds normal so far , once the surface charge tapers off the voltage will drop a little after being shut off for that long , and the running voltage will be higher, the 14+ looks good .

some batteries need a good 24 hour charge to bring them back after being dead .

[stefan]

took it out again tonight. after sitting for 4-5hrs it read 12.19v but still started fine. i thought batteries were supposed to be like 12.7 when there good and charged?

[FB71]

yes, they are. Fully charged = 12.65v. 50% charge = 12.35v. Dead = 12.05v

I'm suspecting your battery. After setting for 4hrs, given a surface charge of 12.65, the reading should be no less than 12.60. If it drops more than 0.20v in 6 hrs, its most likely heavily sulfated, and should be replaced. Take it to a McParts, and have them load test it first.

[stefan]

ok got home tonite, parked it and it was reading 12.82V i disconnected the battery and a 1/2hr later and its 12.50V

[FB71]

sounds like its time for a new battery....